Diary Update – April 2019

This message contains a brief monthly update to let members of Sandbach U3A know about new opportunities and things that have occurred.

Review of Group Session Fees

The £1 charge for attending a group session has remained the same since Sandbach U3A started in 2003. There are exceptions; the groups that use paid instructors and the bowling groups incur significantly higher costs and pay a higher charge as a result. A study has started, using the data provided by the SWISH system, to determine a new policy for setting charges and we hope to report at the start of the new U3A year in September. There will be no change to charges before September and we hope that the new system will:

• be fair and transparent
• be easy for leaders to collect
• match, as far as possible, the cost of running groups to the income from groups

Quiz on 3 April

All 24 places in the quiz have been taken and the teams nominated are listed below. If you think your team has been omitted, contact your team contact in the first place and, if that gives you no joy, reply to this message.

Teams	Contact for 3 Apr 19
Ancient & Modern	Joe Heacock
Badgers	Mike Beck
Batty as a Fruitcake	Phil Roberts
Carry on Bowling	Wendy Siepen
Falcons A	Alex Black
Falcons B	Alex Black
Fitness Fanatics	Shirley Catherall
Late Bloomers	Clare Phillips
Men Friday	Phil Roberts
Mind The Block	Wendy Siepen
Ping Pongers	Susan Doughty
Place Restante	David Boar
Ps & Qs	Maggie Sutton / Jean Marriott
Ready to Bowl	Wendy Siepen
Scrabblers	Jen Brown
Six Under Par	Steve Walton
Slow Walkers	Bill Crichton
Sprouts	Pam Thomas
Triffic Trainers	Phil Roberts
TT Racers	Joan Harrison
Tudors	Jean Thompson
Universally Challenged	Jenny Haines
Usually Suspect	Kevin Dean
WD40+	Jeff Diggle

 

Volunteers for U3A Desk in Sandbach Library

We staff an information desk upstairs in Sandbach Library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday of every month between 9:30 and 11:30am. Committee members and other volunteers answer queries from members and non-members, enrol new members and renew annual memberships. We are recruiting new volunteers who enjoy meeting people and can follow the simple processes involved. If you would like to join the volunteer group, please contact our Volunteer Co-ordinator Sandy Boyle via sandy.boyle50@gmail.com

Workshop on Creative Thinking

The North West region of the Third Age Trust organises workshops to help develop the skills of U3A members in the region. Their next event is a workshop on “Creative Thinking” on Tuesday 30^th April and the great attraction of this one is that it is on the doorstep. More accurately it takes place in the Alexandra Suite at the Crewe Alex ground and you can see details by clicking on the website.

This is not a cunning ploy to identify people who might be pressured into joining the committee. Improving U3A members makes the whole organisation stronger and it is a good opportunity to exercise the old grey cells.

News from Groups

• As a result of its move to a larger room at Sandbach Rugby Club, there are several places available on the Pilates (1) group meeting on Thursday 10-30 to 11-30. Sandbach Rugby Club is located in Bradwall Road, Sandbach with the postcode CW11 1RA. Please apply via the Pilates (1) web page.
• The Circus Skills group is continuing until the end of May. Remaining dates are listed on their web page and there are still vacancies. If you are interested in attending, please email groups.co-ordinator@sandbachu3a.org.uk
• The Programme/Groups Co-ordinator will be contacting all group leaders shortly asking them for information about their groups for next year i.e. Sept 2019 to May 2020.
• If anyone is keen/interested in starting a new group and would like to discuss the possibilities please email groups.co-ordinator@sandbachu3a.org.uk

Forthcoming Trips (see the website for further details)

• Bury Market & Steam Train Wednesday 10^th April 2019 £18 (all tickets sold but there is a waiting list)
• King and I musical Wednesday 1^st May 2019 £60 (seats are available on the coach only at £10. You may be able to buy a ticket at the theatre box office or you could just go shopping / sightseeing in Manchester)
• 23^rd June Tour of the gardens at Highgrove House £40. No bookings will be taken after 24^th April, when Prince Charles wants the money.
• 4^th July Horse drawn narrowboat ride in Llangollen and steam train journey with a Welsh tea £37
• 15^th August Southport Flower Show £27 (all tickets sold but there is a waiting list)
• 13^th September Ludlow Food Festival £20
• 10^th October A second visit to Grosvenor Garden Centre with lunch on a barge from the Mill Hotel £33
• 13^th November Tour of the Liverpool cathedrals and guided walk £18

Tickets for this and all the other trips will be on sale upstairs in Sandbach library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday morning of each month from 9.30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  If you are unable to visit the library, call Alice on 01270 765856.

Member Meeting 1^st April 2019

Speakers from EDF will explain why they have filled giant holes under Warmingham with gas.

The showcase of members’ creative talents was well-received at the March meeting and will be repeated at the March 2020 meeting. This is your opportunity to show off the results of your creative activity.

We shall issue a more detailed newsletter in April 2019. To share information about something that has happened or is going to happen, please send details to newsfeed@sandbachu3a.org.uk

This message goes to each member who has provided an email address to the membership team. If you know of someone who doesn’t use email, please pass on the contents of this message to them. All group leaders are requested to ensure that all their members receive the diary updates, which can be printed for reference if required.

Best Regards

The Membership Team

N.B. Library Desk.  A committee member attends at the U3A desk upstairs in Sandbach library on the 2nd and 4th Wednesday morning of each month from 9.30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.  You may enquire about the classes and register as a member at the desk.